Such a piston compressor is, for example, known from DE 10 2004 047 159 B4. The valve plate arrangement comprises a pressure valve plate and a suction valve plate. The pressure valve plate and the suction valve plate are connected to each other and the valve cover by welding. The pressure valve plate has several pressure valve elements, which are part of the pressure valve plate. In a similar manner, the suction valve plate has several suction valve elements, which are part of the suction valve plate.
DE 103 30 760 B4 shows a further piston compressor, in which, additionally to the pressure valve plate and the suction valve plate, the valve plate arrangement comprises a reinforcement plate.
Piston compressors, which are used to compress refrigerants, that is, for example, hermetic or semi-hermetic refrigerant compressors, are manufactured in large numbers. Accordingly, there is an interest in keeping the manufacturing costs low. Usually, however, low manufacturing costs involve the risk that the application properties of the compressor are deteriorated. In particular, there is a risk that the efficiency is reduced.